DES MOINES, Iowa — Eating healthier just got easier with the addition of one more pork cut to the list of Heart-Check Certified products by the American Heart Association. The Pork Checkoff is working with the American Heart Association to highlight the heart-healthy benefits of the pork sirloin roast.
As a Heart-Check Certified cut of meat, pork sirloin adheres to the American Heart Association’s requirements allowing its label as a “heart-healthy food.” The pork sirloin roast joins the pork tenderloin with this designation as an extra lean cut of meat certified by the Heart-Check Food Certification Program.
“The prominent Heart-Check mark on packages of meat offers consumers an easy way to cut through the clutter of often conflicting nutrition information,” said Adria Huseth, RDN, LD, CPT and manager of nutrition communications and research for the Pork Checkoff. “The Heart-Check mark is valuable and serves as a trusted resource for consumers. By cutting through the noise at the meat counter, shoppers can quickly identify heart-healthy foods.”
Sound science and proven research serves as the basis for the Heart-Check Food Certification Program nutrition requirements. Introduced in 1995, the Heart-Check Food Certification Program helps consumers identify foods that can be building blocks of a heart-healthy diet. To become certified, a product must meet specific nutrition requirements. For more information, visit heartcheck.org.
“Today’s consumers are busy and they seek both convenience and real-time information before purchasing foods in their local grocery store,” said Huseth. “Having the Heart-Check mark on pork sirloin roast and tenderloin products helps consumers make wise choices. This prominent, recognizable mark allows the shopper to buy with confidence.”
In 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a pork cooking temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest. By following this cooking guidance on pork products like the sirloin roast or tenderloin, consumers can enjoy a healthy, tasty and tender product.
About the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association
The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association are devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. The American Stroke Association is a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About the National Pork Board
The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold. Importers of pork products contribute a like amount, based on a formula. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and food service marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, science and technology, swine health, pork safety and sustainability and environmental management. For information on Checkoff-funded programs, pork producers can call the Pork Checkoff Service Center at 800-456-7675 or visit pork.org.
— National Pork Board
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